Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is often referred to as the gluttonous holiday. We gather with our loved ones and binge on all that delicious turkey, rolls, stuffing, potatoes, desserts…the list goes on and on. This year make a promise to yourself and your family to cook all the yummy food you love – but the healthier alternative of it. We’re bringing you some recipes that are just like the food Momma cooks, but much better for you. We promise you’ll still love it!

Another good Thanksgiving tip: eat slowly and stop when you’re full to avoid a sick or extra sleepy feeling. There are always leftovers so don’t worry about missing any food!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub the turkey with the oil, a sprig of rosemary and garlic cloves. Place all of the rosemary and garlic inside the bird. Loosely tie the legs together. Place into the middle of the oven.

When the skin is light (after about 1 1/2 hours) cover the breast with a tent of foil to prevent overcooking the breast. Check the doneness after the bird has roasted about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Turkey is done when the thigh is pierced deeply and juices run clear (180 to 185 F) or when the breast muscle reaches 170 to 175 F.

Remove the turkey from the oven. Let it stand about 20 minutes to allow juices to settle in the meat. Deglaze the pan by adding 1/2 cup water. Stir to scrape up browned bits. Pour pan drippings into a gravy separator. Reserve 1 cup of defatted pan drippings for sauce.

To make the sauce, in a pan or microwave dish, stir together the vinegar, defatted pan drippings and brown sugar. Warm the sauce until the flavor is just released, about 15 seconds in the microwave, or over low heat on the stove until steam “escapes.” Don’t boil.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly coat six 1-cup individual souffle dishes or ramekins with cooking spray or coat a 6-cup souffle dish with the spray.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and hot water, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

In a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the canola oil and stir to combine. Add the flour, ground hazelnuts and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in the brown sugar, honey and salt. Gradually add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir into the cocoa mixture. Let cool slightly.

In a large, thoroughly cleaned bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cocoa mixture to lighten it. Then fold the remaining egg whites into the cocoa mixture, mixing gently only until no white streaks remain.

Gently scoop the cocoa egg white mixture into the prepared dishes (or dish). Bake until the souffle rises above the rim and is set in the center, 15 to 20 minutes for individual souffles or 40 to 45 minutes for the large souffle. Cool the souffles on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the top with the confectioners’ sugar. Garnish with raspberries and serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis

(per serving)

Calories

184

Cholesterol

7 mg

Protein

6 g

Sodium

106 mg

Carbohydrate

30 g

Fiber

4 g

Total fat

7 g

Potassium

248 mg

Saturated fat

2 g

Calcium

58 mg

Monounsaturated fat

3 g

All recipes courtesy of Mayo Clinic. <–Click to see more healthy Thanksgiving recipes! Then tell us, what healthy Thanksgiving recipes do you plan to make (or simply eat)?